The Ballad of Mona Lisa
by dragon-dancer013
Summary: Elizabeth was the only one to see Ciel before his alleged passing. Despite the papers, she stays true to her instinct telling her it's a lie, even though it meant being locked away. In spite of it all, Lady Elizabeth is determined to find her beloved.
1. A Prelude to the Sins

**AUTHOR'S NOTE:** This is my first ever Kuroshitsuji fanfic. I've never really successfully written a fanfic for anything other than Yu Yu Hakusho. I'm no expert in historical aspects regarding the Victorian Era/time period this series takes place, and as a result my details may very well be lacking. I've been sitting on the idea for this fic for some time before acting on actually writing it, so please, I ask you leave your input or thoughts on this story.

She let the small brush glide across her nails once more, parting her lips to let out a cool breath upon them. Her usual light blonde, curly locks pulled into their everyday pig tails. Since his parting, her ribbons were black, and her daily attire monochrome. The light that was once in her eyes at all hours of day and night had long since vanished. Even the thought of him stabbed at her heart. He'd been her one and only love. All she'd longed for was to bring a smile to his face, if even just once in what time was left to his life, it meant the world to her. She'd been the last to see him. Everyone else believed him dead, but she knew otherwise. It wasn't a matter of not believing; it was knowledge. Ciel wasn't dead. He was anything but.

Soma, Agni... Bard. Mai-Rin. Finnian. Tanaka. All had gone on their own respective paths. It broke the girl's heart knowing everyone had so easily surrendered to the false news. When the news was broken to her, she instantly denied it. Her refusal to accept was, at first, understandable. They were fiances. This never changed for Lady Elizabeth. To everyone, she was grieving, but when her denial continued on endlessly, they were left no option. She needed help. But she was smart. The longer she was locked away, the more she realized there was one way out. Faking acceptance of her fiance's death was the only way.

It was a beautiful day to re-enter the world. The cruel world that took her of her beloved Ciel Phantomhive. It was the world she refused to face alone, knowing he was still alive. No one would ever believe that she'd seen him before everyone was given the letters informing them that the Earl had passed away at but thirteen years old. It had been a long time. Five long years. As peculiar as Ciel appeared that last day she saw him, he was fine. He was in good health. Even five years later, her heart knew he was alive somewhere.

The black nails. The piercing slit-pupiled pink eyes she'd caught a glimpse of. How his gaze said so much more than what he may have ever intended, nor wanted, it to to her. Just the thought of the obscurities had her both frightened and yet determined to solve the mysteries, if it meant bringing Ciel back from wherever it was he may have vanished to. It if meant proving she hadn't gone mad to the others, she would push herself to do it. There was no way she could allow herself to continue on with the facade she had come to terms with her precious Ciel's passing. Lying to Paula, who had been so loyal to her over the years, left her feeling ridden with guilt. Though Paula had been the one to act on locking Elizabeth away to get mentally well again, Elizabeth could tell it tore her dear maid apart to do so. Yet, she would not allow Paula to roam about alongside her as frequently. Her renewed freedom enabled the Lady to travel about freedly again, and she left the darkness with a mission. The mission being to find her missing fiance.

There was but one problem with the plan the Lady had in mind. She may have been let out to freely roam the streets and the like, but she was forced to see a therapist at least once a week. It was a condition of her release. It was their way of being sure her mental state wasn't deteriorating. Little did they know, there was nothing to deteriorate. She was fine. She was right. They were the ones in the wrong.


	2. Destination Anywhere

**((****AUTHOR'S NOTE:**** I appreciate the response, and the adds to Story Alerts I've gotten on this fic already. It means a lot. This fic is a much needed challenge for my writing. As much as I love the Kuroshitsuji series, writing a fic to it isn't my strong point... So any feedback I get is appreciated, especially positive. XD. As a thank you, here is a second chapter.))**

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_"Ciel! I wanted to see you! You've always been gone!" Seeing Ciel for the first time in what felt like ages for the young lady. Seeing Ciel was always the brightest of light in Lady Elizabeth's day. Though his attire wasn't exactly in her taste. He'd always worn some sort of color to compliment his beautiful hair and incredible blue eyes. "Ah! Oh no! What's with those clothes? They aren't cute! Those drab clothes don't suit you..."_

_ "You're right. Shall I change? Just like that day?" His expression was different from what she'd seen in recent days, and he was much more willing to aim to please her. It was heartwarming._

_ "What? Just like that day? Ciel, could you have...?" _

_ "Will you dance with me, Lady?"_

_ It took a long moment for her process before answering happily, "Gladly!"_

_ Having him be the one to ask to dance was an incredibly pleasing feeling for her in her heart... But then she noticed his ring was missing. His precious family ring... Though happy to spend such time with him alone, it impossible to not notice the change in his eyes. It wasn't a change of expression upon his face, or in his eyes, but the color. The bright pink and slit pupils. And the red that followed the pink before becoming their bright blue once again. Although Elizabeth was a cheerful, merry, young lady, she was anything but oblivious._

"CIEL!" Elizabeth cried out, hands clutching her chest as she sat up in her lucious bed. The tears in her eyes were uncontrollable. Upon realizing it had been but a dream mirroring the last time she'd laid eyes on Ciel, her breathing heavied momentarily as she lay back down, hugging her knees to her chest. There was so much he'd been hiding; she could feel it. "But why... why couldn't you have told me?" She whispered to herself, calming herself.

There'd been someone who could help, and although it was late in the night, Elizabeth couldn't put off the visit. Sneaking out into the night seemed to be a reasonable option to begin her search. There had to be a reason why such a memory would plague her sleep on this night. In just her night gown and a long pea coat, Lady Elizabeth snuck quietly through her luxurious home and out the large front doors. Into the night, she walked.

She hadn't a clue where she was going. All she knew was that she was listening to the feeling in her gut to just trust her heart to lead her in the right direction. As foolish as she felt for doing it, her gut was telling her the door she stopped before was leading her in the correct direction. It was a dreary looking building and had a weird vibe to it, but she felt as though being scared was something she would need to get past if she ever wanted to figure out what actually happened to her beloved Ciel. Having slowly opened the door, Elizabeth proceeded into the building with caution. She clumsily fumbled around for a candle of some sort before finding one about to go out. Beside it was a match. She carefully re-lit the wick and carefully closed the door behind her. With just a small candle's light to guide her, she found a coffin looking rather out of place. Noticing it was left slightly ajar, she slid the top further open as quietly as possible, finding a man lying within it. At first, she wasn't sure if he was alive, nor if he belonged there.

"Elizabeth Midford? What in the world are you doing here? And so late, at that?" His voice startled the young Lady instantly. She stumbled back a few steps from the coffin as the long silver haired male sat upright at once. His long bangs flowed to the side just enough to better unveil the long scar across his otherwise flawless face. He rose from the coffin in one brief fluid motion.

"I came here... To ask you about Ciel," she replied honestly. The grin that had so quickly made its way to his face crumbled to a sad pout.

"Miss Elizabeth, you know Ciel has passed."

"I'm not so sure about that." Her response was more confident than the Undertaker had expected.

"Dearest Lady Elizabeth," he began gliding around the tight room as he spoke, "What makes you so certain that your precious Ciel Phantomhive is alive?"

It was a good question. How could she be so sure? It couldn't be as simple as her heart and soul telling her that he was alive. There were other logical explanations backing up his still being alive... somewhere. There were, right? She'd never thought about it until being asked by the Undertaker.

The nails. The eyes. The drab attire he wore that day. He was perfectly healthy. Unless he were murdered, there was no way he could have passed on so abruptly. Certainly his behavior when she saw him was unusual for the Ciel that his staff had known, but he'd been that way once upon a time. Was the mention of his nails and eyes an answer the Undertaker was looking for from her? There was but one way to find out, and he was anxiously awaiting her response.

"I saw him before everyone is saying he died. He was perfectly fine, you see... But there was something odd about him. His nails.. they were black, and his eyes... they turned into this weird bright pink color - if only for a split second, but I saw it," she shared honestly.

"Now why would you say something like that? That's something that could get you locked away in an asylum of some sort all over again..." The Undertaker replied, his grin having returned to his mouth.

"I get the feeling that you know that this isn't crazy talk, as others would put it," Elizabeth responded nervously.

The Undertaker shook his head, "Of course not... But you do realize, the more you dig, the more danger you're putting yourself into, correct?"

"Ciel is a Phantomhive. Not very many people are particularly fond of him, or his family's name - and I've always been okay with the risk of becoming a Phantomhive myself, to this very day."

"Ahh... How very lovely of you, Lady Elizabeth... But how much of the truth are you able to handle, is the true question..."


	3. Believe

Elizabeth crashed to the floor. Her head was spinning. She had always been the sweet, innocent, and occasionally overbearing kind of girl. She's pretty much always seen black and white, never any grey. Religion was simply a belief unique to each culture. Whether you believed in the supernatural and occult depended on your religion, but the belief never made it real. Yet before her stood the Undertaker, appearing anything but surprised by her reaction.

_"Ciel's precious Sebastian Michaelis is no ordinary butler. His extraodinary talents and abilities are not a coincidence. Sebastian is a demon, and your dearly beloved Ciel Phantomhive's return was all thanks to such a being. Ciel made a contract with Sebastian, accepting the possibility that he may never live long enough to marry you._" The words were echoing in her head. "_Though it would seem, the Earl Phantomhive's soul was never devoured. He is still alive, somewhere... as something._" Elizabeth was sitting sloppily on the floor, just outside of the shadows, with her hands placed tightly over her ears as her eyes stared blankly at the grounds before her. Innocence and ignorance both appeared to be such a blissful thing at that point.

"If you were hoping for a sort of fairy-tale type of truth, it is time for you to accept that a fairy-tale life is not something that can be attained while loving a Phantomhive," the Undertaker said, breaking the silence in the room. It was a tense silence to be broken. "There's no guarantee that the Ciel you'll find will be so warm."

"Ciel wasn't warm until the last time I saw him... But how... How did he make a contract with a demon?" Elizabeth asked, at last, removing her hands from her ears.

"Being who I am, I cannot share such information with you. It would be against what I am," the Undertaker refused the information. "If that is something you wish to find out, you'll have to attain it on your own."

Upon reaching her home at long last, the young lady felt emotionally drain. She hadn't intended to find a specific kind of information regarding Ciel's where abouts. She just wanted to know he was alive. She had no fairy tale fantasies or delusions. Any hopes or dreams of a fairy tale life for her and Ciel had been ruined a long time ago, twice. The first time being when their mansion had been burned to the ground, his parents murdered, and himself kidnapped. He'd gone missing without a single trace. The fairy tale hopes were revitalized when Ciel managed to reappear, but quickly forgotten due to the state of mind the young boy returned in. Though, when Ciel vanished once again, supposedly dead, any chance of a fairy tale life with him dissipated. It was a hopeless dream.

_I'd just be happy to have a life with him, _Elizabeth thought to herself as she snuck in the door. Quietly, she tip-toed up to her room. There was so much to wrap her mind around. She began to hate the sheltered life she had been forced to live without realizing. There was another world out there that very few knew about. Ciel had never told her, but for Ciel, he had done it to protect her. He didn't want to see her frown. Yet, for whatever reason, Elizabeth clenched her fists at her sides as she returned to her room. The simple things she once enjoyed had suddenly begun to seem so trivial and insignificant.

_Don't think like that Elizabeth. What are you thinking? Ciel didn't do it for the fun. He did it to redeem his family's name,_ she scolded herself. She slipped her coat into her closet and crept into her bed, hugging her pillow beneath her head. _Just find Ciel at any cost._

Never in a million years had Elizabeth imagined to discover such a thing about Ciel. The demon part of it, but the Undertaker had referred to him living not as a someone, but a something. A thought that hadn't hit Elizabeth until she once again fell asleep.


	4. A Sweetness Just Out of Reach

((AUTHOR'S NOTE: Again, I thank everyone who has been reading & just started reading. I also thank everyone for the reviews. They're all appreciated. This one took me a bit, because I just started my fall semester classes. I just went back to school, so.. I've been adjusting. But none the less, here is chapter four.))  
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The next month was spent engrossing herself in libraries researching the possibilities of how Ciel managed to not only come across a demon but also make a contract with them. It was still mindblowing to Elizabeth how someone so proper and polite like Sebastian could be a demon. At first, it was hard for her to believe, but the more she researched, the more it made sense. Her biggest question was what binded the contract betwee he and Ciel. Elizabeth placed the book on the shelf and pushed it back between the surrounding book. About ready to call it a day, she looked down. On the bottom shelf sat a book that seemed to be the most useful to her research, at first glance. Elizabeth picked it up quickly, decided one more book to look at couldn't hurt.

Bringing it over to the massive table she'd been sitting at, she opened it. Upon sight of the table of contents, her eyes widened. Quickly, she slammed the book shut. Before having even seated herself, she picked it up and left with it tucked under her arm nonchalantly. The last thing she needed was to be noticed checking out a book of this type. If Paula or her parents heard of it, she'd undoubtedly be sent away again. She was also certain of this book being what could help her find her way to Ciel.

She held it tightly upward with her hand in her long flowing sleeve as she entered her home. Smiling merrily at the staff along her way to her room, she could hardly control her racing thoughts. There was a ton of reading to be done, but she didn't mind it. The appearance of the book left question as to whether or not the library was aware it was within their vicinity. It looked as though someone had been keeping it up until the past couple of years. Elizabeth was just about to open the book when Paula let herself into the room. The young Lady slickly slipped the book into the night stand drawer.

"Elizabeth, have you been feeling well?" the dearest Paula asked. Worry was written all over her face. Though sweet, Paula hadn't been able to forgive herself for having sent Elizabeth away the way she had. Despite having no other option, she couldn't help but feel awful about it. She'd betrayed Elizabeth's trust, and it had become clear that their relationship most likely was never going to be the same.

"Of course, why?" Elizabeth faked a smile as she turned around to answer.

"Well, you've been quiet since you've returned is all..."

"I'm perfectly fine, Paula. I'm just... still re-adjusting to life here. It's been a long time," the Lady responded kindly before changing the subject. "If you don't mind... I'd just like to take a nap. I just returned from roaming around town all day." The lies felt as though they were going to bury her, so long as her own private investigation went on any longer. It was an unpleasant feeling, and Elizabeth hated it. Paula nodded and pardoned herself from the room.

Elizabeth waited a long moment before taking the book back out. She placed it on the bed and hopped up, where she laid down on her side. Her back was facing the wall when she opened it. "Contracts with demons," she whispered to herself, flipping through the pages before finding what she was determined to read about. The Undertaker wouldn't budge about how Ciel had made a contract with the gorgeous Sebastian, having said it would go against what he was. The response merely sparked another question, but that could easily be saved for another day.

The more she read, answers were found. She didn't have to like them or hate them. At least she was finding something out. "The more prominant the contract, the stronger the bond is..." She read aloud to herself, repeating it. Something in her mind was nagging her for a long moment before she realized. Ciel's eye. The claim was that he lost it while he was missing and believed to be dead, but Elizabeth was fairly certain that wasn't not the case. The desire to find her fiancee had just increased a great deal. It became a given that as she read on, she would feel more need to find him. Her biggest problem was how she could go about finding him, but then...a solution appeared before her eyes at the turn of a page.


	5. You Want

[[AUTHOR'S NOTE: I _**sincerely**_ apologize for the huge gap between chapters. Between preparing for the semester, and getting _**ridiculously **_sick... School started up. I _should _have more time for writing this fic, as I am inevitably lessening my work load by half (hopefully). Again, I apologize, and thank everyone for all the feedback I've gotten so far. Without further ado, here is the long overdue next chapter! ]]

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Elizabeth tossed and turned in her bed, but quickly awoke as a chill shot through her entire body. With eyes wide open, she was anything but slow to notice a dark figure standing before her window. Not saying a word, she simply tilted her head in time for the figure to turn around. Bright fuschia split pupils stared into her being. "Elizabeth..." The figure said in a low voice. Rather than be frightened, the Lady's ears perked up and her eyes grew wider. She knew that voice. It had taken a second, but she _**knew**_ that voice. She blinked and took a quick breath before opening her eyes.

"SEBA-" She began to cry out, only to find the figure was gone. "...stian.."

Her arms held her knees close and tight to her body. She stared blankly at the sheats covering her legs for a long moment, "I know that was you, Sebastian... I know Ciel is with you. He _has _to be... He has no one else..."

"Young Master, she's no fool-"

"I don't need to hear it."

"If I may overstep for just a moment, I would like to state that, evidently, you do."

"Sebastian," the Young Master muttered sternly, opening his eyes - the mark glistening in his right eye under the bright moonlight. His butler having clearly stuck to his guns to speak, despite being told to not lecture in the slightest.

"Lady Elizabeth was locked away... for you. For five years. Do you really wish for her to be locked away again? If she's caught with such a book in her possession, they will not hesitate to send her away," the black-clad butler was persistant. "Again. They won't let her out this time."

Ciel was silent for a long moment before turning his back, "If she were locked away again, it would be for her own benefit. She must be crazy to still want anything to do with something such as myself."

Even as the grown master began to walk into the distance, the butler remained behind for a moment longer with his head tilted and facing the beautiful building he'd been in just moments ago. His master could spew whatever he pleased from his mouth, and expect Sebastian to believe it sincere - but the butler could see inside. Though originally in it for the young man's soul, and only that, it was all too visible that an attachment had been formed... a bond; one that allowed the demon to see further inside. Being a demon in the present couldn't entirely change the fact that Ciel had once been human. Certain feelings couldn't be changed in their entirety, which was something the butler had picked up on as of recently.

"I'm inclined to believe your speaking rubbish, My Lord. Why else could you have insisted to return here a handful of years later?" Sebastian asked curiously as he caught up with Ciel.

The young man was hesitant to respond. Upon further observation, the butler could see a hint of confusion showing through the otherwise confident Young Master. "I'm... not sure."

"This is unusual for you. Are you sure?" The demon butler was greeted by a sudden slap to his cheek. He stared, bearing a stunned expression.

"If I was sure, do you believe I would say such nonsense so openly?"

Sebastian's partially opened mouth closed itself at once. Bowing his head, he spoke, "My apologies, My Lord. My question was, indeed, unacceptable."

Looking off in the other direction, back toward the Middleford Estate, Ciel muttered under his breath. "Why was I drawn back here so suddenly...?"


	6. Waking the Demon

[[_AUTHOR'S NOTE: I thought I'd make up for my lack of updating by providing two chapters this time around. It only seemed fair to my readers._]]

Unable to rest after the disturbing visit, Elizabeth removed herself from bed. She changed into a simple, form-fitting gown before quietly sneaking out of her room. As she hurried down the main stairway as silently as possible, she was greeted by one of the staff.

"Miss Elizabeth, what are you doing up so late? You should be resting. You have to see your...you know... bright and early," the mention of a therapist or anything of the like was a difficult subject for any of the staff in the Middleford estate to discuss. No one liked to acknowledge what the young Lady had been through. For the most part, it was preferrable to pretend it didn't happen.

"I couldn't sleep. I'm having nightmares again... so I thought I would go for a stroll," Elizabeth lied, maintaining her composure. The last thing she needed to do was look guilty. If she slipped up, she'd be kissing the outdoors and freedom away in a hearbeat, which was something she refused to allow to have happen again. They'd have to knock her unconcious for her to return to such a place.

"Would you like some company?"

"No, thank you. I shouldn't be gone long, and the streets should be deserted. No need to wake Paula or trouble yourself," Elizabeth responded suavely before resuming her stroll to the door and out. The instant she closed the door behind her, she let out a heavy sigh of relief. She took a moment to calm her nerves. Any time her sanity was in question was a time to panic internally. But, the potential crisis had been averted with success and ease, and it was time to begin the hunt.

The biggest question whilst roaming about the main streets was where Ciel could even be residing. Returning to the Phantomhive Estate was an all too obvious location to be staying. Bard, Finnian, and Meirin opted to not burn the estate down after Ciel's vanishing. They'd appreciated their time with him, even though they'd been overshadowed by Sebastian. The estate had been a safehouse for them. They could be themselves and not worry about being treated like freaks. Though they no longer lived at the mansion, the building still stood proudly as a reminder of the young Earl.

Elizabeth found herself having gone in a giant circle without having meant to, when a strange, masculine voice greeted her. "Aren't you the young Lady Middleford?" Elizabeth didn't respond, nor did she allow her expression to give away the chills she felt trickle up her back. The man was not good news, and the news simply got worse as several other men appeared from the shadows behind the first. The Lady gulped. This was going to be a problem.

"The young Earl's passing was too much for you to handle, eh? Allow me to throw you an offer you can't resist," the head of the gang said.

"And just what would that be?" Elizabeth's voice didn't fail her in not faltering. Her tone was strong, and almost snippy. It was the snippy part that appeared to bother the man, though he didn't acknowledge it - or so it seemed he wasn't going to.

His brow rose before he resumed speaking, "Taking your sorrow away from you!"

The raise in his voice at the end of his statement had been a trigger word. The gang then surrounded her, and the first of the gang took a swing at her. Never before had she needed to rely on her teachings as a Middleford. She was a Lady, and a Lady is to remain lady-like. She isn't a fighter. She has her beloved do the fighting for her... But what happens when your beloved is gone without a trace? _A lady must do what a lady must do._ Elizabeth dodged the fist, and was alert and swift in dodging several grabs and fists. She was quick to slip out of the circle that had formed around her. Spotting a piece of plywood just out of the shadow's protection, she grabbed it. It was all there was to use in place of the sword her family wielded. It had to work.

A hand took hold of Elizabeth's gown and yanked. At first, her startle resulted in a very swift, fluid motion of swinging her blade replacement fast and hard, smashing into the thug's head. The impact resulted in an instant knock-out. She heard an angry yell, and turned to see another charging at her with a knife. Once again, the young Lady took a hard swing, cracking the man's hands one after the other hard enough to hear the bones crack. The pocket knife instantly fell to the ground. While the remainder of the gang took off, yelling about how it was supposed to be an easy job, Elizabeth dropped the wood and picked up the pocket knife. Looking over to the side, she found the scuffle had migrated closer to the water. She opened her hand and dropped the knife into the water below.

"Lizzy..."

Elizabeth's eyes grew wide at the sound of her nickname, not allowing her mind to hear the voice that said it, she turned around quickly. The leader hadn't left. Without time to react, the impact to her head sent her unconscious.

The Lady awoke in a room that appeared familiar through her fuzzy vision. She'd definitely gotten her bells rung. When the fuzziness dissipated, she was struck with horror. Ciel's study. There wasn't a single trace of the Earl. A warm hand slid its way down from her shoulder over her chest. Elizabeth jerked away, knocking the chair she was bound to onto its side. Her head instantly began to bound relentlessly.

"Now, now... M'lady.. Let me turn that frown upside down," the man said. "It's our job to silence those involved with the Phantomhive's, now that the little watch dog is gone." At the mention of a group, two of the other gang members entered the room. The leader lifted the chair back up with ease. There was no fighting him. She'd been like a feather to him. His fingers worked the length of her gown up. She cringed as he hit a switch on the chair, reclining it back. Her horrified eyes watched the other two members remove themselves from the room. The second the door closed, the violation was felt, and Elizabeth screamed like no other. Though he was quick to cover her mouth to muffle it, it'd been so intense that her entire body trembled.

...

"Sebastian, what's happening?" the young Phantomhive asked suddenly. His eyes were glowing the split pupil fuschia, and his entire body crackled as it morphed.

"Young Master, you are being summoned," Sebastian answered as cool as possible. Though he hadn't expected Ciel to be capable of being summoned. It seemed his being human not so long ago was irrelevant. Hannah had made him a true demon. Though, the condition of his soul back then was certainly capable of being easliy demonic. There wasn't much else Sebastian could have said to Ciel. The question was, where was he being summoned?


	7. Not Like A Fairy Tale

"_Lizzy..._" The voice was matured, yet carried a familiar tone. An all too familiar tone. Unlike the previous voice to speak her nickname, Elizabeth wasn't being fooled. It wasn't trickery. It felt as if time had suddenly paused itself. Frozen.

"_Ciel?_" She responded. "_Is that really you I'm hearing?_" Though her eyes were open, she couldn't see a thing other than complete darkness. The only sign of light being a faint fuschia glow beside her.

"_You understand how I'm here right now, don't you?_" They hadn't directly answered the question, but the message was relayed while they remained strictly business. The Lady nodded to the best of her ability. "_And you do realize that by my being here, you've rejected faith as I did not all that long ago, correct?_" Ciel proceeded. Upon another weak nod from Elizabeth, he went on, "_By doing so, is it understood that you have cripplied your ability to ever pass through the gates of heaven in death?_"

"_I read about it all, Ciel! I know what I've done! Even if I may not know how I did it, I did - and I know what it means!" _Elizabeth snapped. There was an uncomfortable silence that fell within the dark abyss she'd been engulfed in.

The young demon was hardly able to maintain a firm composier in his voice as he finally spoke again, "_I ask you but once, Elizabeth Middleford... Knowing what you know, is it your wish to form a contract?_"

"_Ciel, get rid of him!_"

"_...I simply ask you close your eyes, and not open them until I say so._"

Elizabeth closed her eyes at once. To her surprise, relief was something she could not feel until the screams were heard. Her ears couldn't help but hear the tearing of flesh before the scream to follow each of the gang members in the surroundings of her room of confinement who were found by Ciel. When the screams stopped, she felt her bindings cut, and arms lift her from the reclined chair. It wasn't until the click of the door closing behind them was heard that the magical words were spoken, "You may open your eyes now... Lizzy," he said as he set her onto her feet. Five long years from hell had passed, but the instant she opened her eyes, she would see the allegedly dead Ciel. Her fiancee.

Slowly, Elizabeth opened her eyes. He'd grown and matured. He was still as pale as ever, but his eyes were still the vibrant blue she could remember them being. The patch over his eye was nowhere to be seen, revealing to her the mark he would eternally carry. The contract which bound him and Sebastian. The contract that would never be resolved. No one ever expected Ciel to get much taller, as it appeared his growth was stunted, but he'd grown rather tall. It was impossible to look away. Elizabeth couldn't wrap her mind around how drastically Ciel had changed over those five long years. She blinked and looked away. _You didn't make a deal with Ciel. You made a deal with a demon, _she reminded herself.

"Elizabeth, where shall your contract be placed. The more prominant-"

"The stronger the bond, I know," she finished the statement for Ciel.

She let herself fall onto her knees. Everything that was done to her before Ciel's arrival - the abuse, the violation - hit her. Her situation hadn't been like Ciel's and how he came to form a contract with Sebastian. Ciel had been kidnapped. His home had been burned to the ground. He was believed to be dead.

"I don't want to go back there, Ciel," she said suddenly.

When she looked up at him, it was clear her statement had taken Ciel completely offguard. She'd grown used to a Ciel without a genuine smile or happy demeanor. Other than being a demon, she was still used to him. However, Ciel had a certain image of Elizabeth set in his mind. The happy, bubbly, cute-obsessed Elizabeth he had left behind on that fateful day. But, on the ground beneath him sat a different Elizabeth. She'd grown up, but the way in which she grew up had a lot to do with where she'd been locked away. Because of him. Because he'd spread a lie about his being dead - something he couldn't take back. Yet, Ciel wasn't sure he understood why she wouldn't want to return home, if that's what she meant by 'there.'

"Why?" That was all he could think of to respond with.

"I always knew you were alive. I felt it in my gut. Everyone else was so willing to believe that you were really dead this time. Who could escape death twice in one lifetime? Certainly not a Phantomhive... But me," Elizabeth began to stand back up onto her feet. "I didn't believe it. At first, they dismissed it as grieving... But when I didn't stop insisting you were alive somewhere, then I became a crazy young lady... And I was locked away for it," rather than sound upset, or start to cry, her voice was a shaky sort of angry. An angry Elizabeth was not something Ciel had ever laid eyes on before. He simply bowed his head, knowing it was worthless to argue or defend his actions. "For me to go back there now, I would never last. Since my return home, they've watched me like hawks, questioning me at anything unusual - fearing that my supposed insanity hasn't been entirely cured, as if it's coming back."

"My Lord," Sebastian's voice asked for forgiveness for his sudden intrusion. His eyes drifted over to Elizabeth, "Lady Elizabeth." He bowed his head and stood straight at once. His expression was unreadable, but a hint of apology was already evident. His eyes were addressing Ciel, "I decided to check the Middleford's estate out of curiousity when you were summoned. I was almost certain it was Elizabeth, due to certain books she was reading as of late... But when I arrived there..." His voice trailed off.

"What happened?" Both Ciel and Elizabeth's eyes were wide in panic. Demon or not, the Middleford's were still Ciel's family. His only remaining family. Whether they'd sent Elizabeth away to an asylum of some sort was irrelevant to the Lady. They were her blood. Her mother, father, her siblings.


	8. Torture

Cursed. Damned to serving a corrupted queen, and born to continue where his father left off. That was a duty left to Ciel Phantomhive. Born into an incredibly well-off family. Though while being a well-known noble family, the Phantomhives were hated. The Earl being deemed the Queen's Watch Dog. The role the Earl played meant having countless enemies, both known, recognizable, and infamous. In addition, the young Earl Phantomhive was kidnapped when his parents were murdered and the Phantomhive Estate set up in flames.

It seemed as though the contract had been completed. Though, nearly seven or so years later, it appeared that those who despised the Phantomhives would not be satisfied until the closest link to the name was banished from the face of the earth.

Elizabeth screamed in the shrillest of voices as Sebastian held her back from the gates before the Middleford Estate. Flames had engulfed the entire building. The property in its entirety destroyed beyond all means. Ciel blinked his wide eyes away. There was no longer time to grieve over such things. He'd taken another step forward in his life as a demon. He was starving beyond all means, having managed to avoid consuming any souls. He'd satisfied cravings with scents he once was able to taste and enjoy as a human. Becoming a demon was something he'd never intended to do. He'd made peace with his life at but thirteen years old, when Ash had been destroyed. But now, things were entirely different. Now, he'd been summoned and had a contract to finalize, and that contract was with the last person he'd wanted to form one with. That person was the one individual whose soul he would never consume, even if they were the last person on the face of the Earth. Elizabeth.

Ciel looked over to his butler, "Sebastian... Find out if they're in there. Look thoroughly."

With a bow of his head, Sebastian immediately left no trace of his ever standing before the two. Ciel was cursing every second he would have to spend as a demon until further notice. "Lizzy... The contract must be formed. I am to be your loyal servant until this contract is resolved. What has been sacrificed will never be returned; your soul is mine to take at the moment the terms of the contract have been met," Ciel explained. If there had been a way to know how everything would have turned out, he may have reconsidered his path.

At once, Sebastian had returned to his place before them. His expression was impossible to read. He knelt on one knee, and his bowed head did not raise to face Elizabeth nor Ciel. "I am terribly sorry, Miss Elizabeth," he spoke as he finally lifted his head, so as to look the grief stricken young woman.

"I will find every last one of those men... And they will suffer the pain... and humiliation they've put me through..." Ciel looked over to Elizabeth, shocked by how blatantly angry she sounded. She wasn't the same, sweet, innocent Lizzy he once knew. She'd been broken. He was partly to blame, but what he'd seen done to her upon his summoning was vile.

"If I may excuse myself, My Lord," Sebastian pardoned himself, "I believe you know what's to be done."

Ciel trailed his index finger down Lizzy's jawline to her chin, where his finger stopped in place, "And where shall your contract be placed, My Lady?"

Elizabeth didn't answer with words at first. She placed her hand over his and guided it over her left eye, where she hesitated for a moment as she looked down. She then resumed leading it to the back of her neck. The more prominant, the stronger the bond. While the eye made so much sense, a lady wearing an eye patch was not acceptable. "Some of those men... They ran off... Yelling something about how whatever it was they were going to do to me was supposed to be an easy job... They're probably the ones who killed my family," Elizabeth muttered, feeling a burning in her skin on the back of her neck. Wincing was impossible to not do.

"Don't worry, Lizzy. With Sebastian, it shouldn't be," Ciel's voice trailed off, and his expression grew incredibly grim upon the realization of what he was about to say. It wouldn't take long, and it wasn't going be all that difficult of a task. Had it been anyone else, he wouldn't have cared that it would be a simple task to solve, but it had to be Elizabeth. There were certain feelings that couldn't be so easily banished from him when he was changed into a demon. His underlying feelings for Elizabeth could not so easily be taken from him. "...a hard task," Ciel completed the thought upon seeing Elizabeth's questioning expression.

"I never intended to find you this way, but... if a demon is going to take my soul, I can't think of a better demon," Elizabeth didn't look away from Ciel when she said it. Ciel's eyes grew wide.

"That can't change my hating this had to happen," he said, looking away. His hand slipped away from the back of her neck.


	9. Reflect

((I apologize for the massive gap between chapters. I hadn't planned on it... I've been having some horrible anxiety and panic troubles as of late, and it's thrown just about EVERYTHING off in my little world. But enough about that... Here's the new chapter~~)) 

Ciel tucked Elizabeth into the bed the instant he was certain she was asleep. The small shack wasn't much, but it was all either had. The last thing the Earl wanted to do was bring Elizabeth back to his estate, where he'd found her bound and being robbed of her innocence. He hadn't even presented the option. It would have been indecent of him, and he felt it would have been cruel to even consider bringing her there. For now, the shack would have to do. He brushed her long blonde bangs out of her face as he leaned in. His fingers lingered gently against her pale cheeks for a moment, observing. Not sleeping hadn't taken him much getting used to, but the longing for it to be more than just a mere luxury was something he couldn't help. He slowly leaned down closer. Elizabeth's soul to be the first he would bring himself to take was the last thing he'd ever imagined happening. He didn't want it.

_Had I known this is what it would have come to, I would have never done any of what I have..._ He thought to himself. "I never wanted any of this for you," he whispered softly, as he leaned in to kiss her forehead gently. "I am so sorry, Lizzy."

"My Lord," Sebastian's voice broke the young man from his thoughts. Ciel stood up at once. Immediately, Ciel noticed Sebastian's expression. It was apologetic and alarmed.

"Sebasti-" The butler placed his index finger over his lips, telling Ciel to silence himself at once. Ciel closed his mouth and followed the butler outside. "Aunt Frances-"

"How could you-" The woman hissed. Her face was in visible pain. Ciel's eyes wandered to find countless burns and a bloodied wound. His mind instantly chose to ignore the woman's scolding yell.

"Take her inside. Sebastian, do _not _let her die," Ciel commanded his butler. He'd have to do much explaining. He watched the demon usher his aunt inside with care, but he also watched as the woman stared at his eye. There was far too much explaining to be done that the Earl found as unacceptable. With a heavy sigh, he entered behind the duo, closing the rickety door behind him.

"Her burns are a majority of her pain," Sebastian informed his master. "She managed to dodge a fatal wound as far as the stab. She'll be fine."

"How could you do what you did? Do you have any idea what you've put my daughter through?" Frances snapped. The only sign of acknowledging any pain the woman showed was her wincing.

Ciel took a deep breath. He knew to expect a hefty scolding the second his aunt discovered his being alive. "I couldn't stay. You see..." He closed his eyes and let out a breath upon being cut off. The woman had grabbed his hands. The fresh mark of his contract with Elizabeth on the back of his hand. His black nails were in plain sight as well. Until then, there had been no need for the Earl to hide such traits, nor a marking he hadn't had just yet.

"What has happened to you?" The anger turned into genuine concern in France's voice.

"Lizzy had been putting pieces together since she came back. She's been through Hell to find me, Aunt Frances... I saw you staring at my eye... You know it isn't normal," Ciel opened his eyes. His precious blue eyes were gone; the split pupil fuschia trait of a demon glistening in the dark. France's eyes widened in horror.

"It isn't human. Ciel, what's been done to you?"

"It's a curse. I wouldn't be alive. I had planned to be dead when I left, but I'd been outsmarted. I had a contract," Ciel pointed hintingly at his eye, where his contract with Sebastian rested eternally. "With a demon, to avenge my family's name... To punish those responsible for my parents' deaths, and the underground hell I'd been put through. While I did succeed, someone had outsmarted Sebastian and I... Sebastian is damned to forever be my butler, as I was turned into a demon myself."

Frances clearly couldn't believe what she was hearing. She couldn't wrap her mind around it, but the proof was all before her very eyes. There was no denying any of what he was saying being true. She looked over at her sleeping daughter, seeing the bruises and scrapes, and looked back to Ciel. "What happened to Elizabeth?"

Ciel cringed with anger. Sebastian silently gestured to offer to inform her instead. Ciel nodded, and the butler leaned in to inform the woman, who was immediately and visibly angered. Again, the winced. She pointed toward Ciel's marked hand, "That... is a sign of a.. contract, I'm assuming." Ciel nodded once again. "That's yours... who have you.. made a contract with?"

Elizabeth tossed in her sleep, and her long locks dangled to reveal a matching symbol to what was on the back of Ciel's hand. "Wh- ... How?"

"She summoned me. She hadn't even realized she'd done it until she saw me," Ciel explained. He was growing flustered, and quickly changed the subject. "Aunt Frances.. You were home.. What exactly happened? Sebastian looked for survivors. He hadn't found any."

"I was most likely already out. We were attacked by a gang. Our guard was down, and it was late - it still is. But... when they realized who they were dealing with, they must have started to set fires all around the mansion, inside and out. Most of our staff had been killed.. I only awoke when I heard my husband's yell, and just in time to dodge the fatal end of the stab. I only got a scratch out of it," she explained to the best of her ability. The entire event had left her disoriented and exhausted.

"Get some rest... I know Lady Elizabeth is going to be ecstatic to see you when she wakes up," Sebastian interjected, assisting Frances in laying down before placing the blankets gently over the woman. His eyes drifted over to Ciel. The young master appeared just as enthused about the entire situation at hand as he did. Though, the butler could also see right through the obvious to see deeper. Ciel was genuinely unhappy about the events of the day, but at the same time, he was experiencing the feelings he had attempted to leave behind five years prior - but at a higher level.

Elizabeth had formed a contract with Ciel. Sebastian was all too aware of the fact that Ciel was never going to come to accept that. Ciel loved Elizabeth. He'd thought it would be best if Elizabeth went on through life without him, but he had been horribly wrong. She was too smart; she knew he was alive, and she'd put her sanity on the line to prove it. And there Ciel sat, on the edge of a cliff far from the small structure they would all be staying in for the night, reflecting on everything.

"Damn you, Lizzy," the Phantomhive muttered under his breath as he watched the sun begin to work its way into the morning sky.


End file.
